Effect of feeding sweet sorghum silage with or without supplementation on nutrient digestibilities and performance in Nellore brown ram lambs

Abstract

The present experiment was designed to evaluate the sweet sorghum (SS) silage which is both grain and forage yielding type, with or without supplementation in a 120 d growth-cum-digestion trial to develop SS silage based feeding system for growing ram lambs. Twenty four ram lambs (11.33 ±0.12 kg) were randomly divided into four groups of six each and fed SS silage, SS silage supplemented with dried subabul leaves, concentrate mixture and ground maize grain at 1% of their live weight. Digestibility study was conducted at the end of the growth trail following collection period of 7 days. The CP content of SS silage was 8.44%. ADG (g) was significantly (P>0.01) higher in lambs fed SS silage with supplements than without supplements. Feed conversion ratio (DMI kg/kg gain) in Nellore growing ram lambs ranged from 6.56-9.02 and significant difference (P>0.01) was observed among the experimental groups. Among the supplemental groups cost ()/kg live weight gain was significantly (P>0.01) highest in ram lambs fed with concentrate followed by supplementation with dried subabul leaves and ground maize grain. No significant difference was found among the four groups for digestibility coefficients except for EE (P >0.01). Lambs fed on sole SS silage had significantly lower DMI, DCP and TDN intake (P >0.01) than those fed on SS silage with supplemental diets. Feeding sweet sorghum silage with supplements like top feeds, compound feed and maize grain at 1% of their body weight improved performance, nutrient digestibility and met energy/protein requirements in growing lambs. It is concluded that supplementation of SS silage with ground maize at 1% of their live weight is considered to be economical for rearing of growing ram lambs.